What follows is a brief analysis of the responses received, including additional research suggestions. Though your ancestors may not have lived in the same places or belonged to the same church, you should complete a time line of each ancestors life, comparing that with the record groups surviving in the area at the same time. This provides a foundation for your reasonably exhaustive research. See Genealogical Proof Standard, Board for Certification of Genealogists (r).

MOST RELIABLE INFO Barbara J. Mathews, CG couldn't have said it better"The most reliable information would be the date, location, and cause of death as provided by the doctor who signed the certificate."The doctor was acting in his official capacity and had no apparent reason for fudging the info on the document.

Barbara also points to the curious practice in Salt Lake City of referring the decedent's residence street as 2nd West, when it is really 200 West. Sometimes there is no rhyme nor reason how streets are named, numbered or affectionately referred to in the local community. See DearMYRTLE's Disregard that Street Sign.

Difficult-to-decipher handwriting led to Barbara's suggestion that the informant's name was Mrs. Amagina Player. Other documents collected in my research prove her name to be Amazina -- an equally unusual name. This name challenge illustrates the importance of obtaining other documents mentioning our ancestors. Out of the mouths of two or three witnesses...

Along this same line of thinking, Docu-challenge participant JK explains"Other records I would look for would be an obituary if one could be found to confirm whether the informant is his wife or someone else, again since he could've been living with one of his children. The census records, specifically the 1900 census would help confirm whether the informant was his wife; it might also establish the month of birth, though that isn't always the case. Earlier census records might establish the place of birth of his parents. Finding the cemetery records, and whether or not the cemetery itself is still under the name listed on the certificate, would also confirm his marital status. Probate records and a last will would give names of other relatives including siblings. Finding a marriage record would also help along with a death certificate for his wife."

LEAST RELIABLE INFO
From Docu-Challenge participant Justina we read: "Any of the information that did not revolve directly around the death would be more suspect (name, date and place of birth, parents names and birthplaces, age).

While his name should be accurate since it was provided by someone with the same last name who presumably knew him well enough to know his name, there’s still a chance that his name is not listed accurately. The information about his birthdate and age would hopefully at least give an accurate birth day with the year still being suspect (assuming he was in the habit of celebrating his birthday in some fashion every year).

The information on his birthplace and his parents’ names and birthplaces would be subject to whatever he told the informant and how well she remembered the information. As the information is very specific, I would give more credence to it while keeping in mind that it may not be entirely accurate."

I am glad that no one assumed Amazina was Charles' wife, though ultimately other records prove they were married. Amazina didn't walk across the plains with her Mormon pioneer in-laws. She and Charles were married in Salt Lake City some 20+ years after the great westward migration. However, Amazina likely knew her in-laws names independently of what her husband had told her.

As to the birth date, the decedent's wife wasn't present at her husband's birth, so that is a matter of hearsay. (Remember my maternal grandmother never divulged her true birth year to her second husband.)

Most likely the informant was certainly feeling stressed at just having lost her husband due to carcinoma of the stomach. This is a terribly debilitating disease, with a long, rocky road leading to Charles' death. It is amazing that Amazina could hold up under the pressure. In fact, Charles' mother died barely six month earlier, so the family was probably still in mourning. According to the Utah Burial database, Charles' mother Betsy is buried in the Salt Lake City Cemetery , K_5_7_2E, while Charles is buried close by at K_5_8_1.

OTHER PLACES TO LOOK
Thanks to Docu-Challenge Bonnie Malmut for responding to my request to list other record groups this death certificate points one to consider for additional research. These are her thoughtful suggestions:

This means there will most likely be no public vital record of birth from Nebraska, and we'd have to rely on other resources. Since Charles' parents were part of the Mormon migration pattern, it might be good to see what's available through official LDS Church records at the Church History Library.

Census records are a good resource for placing a family in a specific spot where other records can be found to flesh out our understanding of the lives of those ancestors.

In places like Utah where statehood took decades to achieve, look for territorial census enumerations. The FamilySearch Wiki lists available federal, state and territorial census, including several where Charles is listed with his parents and later with his wife and children.

AND THE WINNER IS...
Chosen strictly at random from the several high-quality responses, the winner of the Docu-Challenge: Charles Player's death certificate is Bonnie Malmut. If she will contact me privately with her US snail mail address and phone number, I'll be glad to have Amazon.com send her a copy of Val D. Greenwood's The Researcher's Guide to American Genealogy, Third Edition. BRAVO!